Dress-form.



C. A. UFFORD: DRESS'FORM.

APPLICATION man FEB. 19.1915.

1 293,580, Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

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DRESS FORM.

APPLICAT-[ON'FILED FEB. 19. 1915.

1,293,58Q. Patented Feb. 4,1919.

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CHARLES A. UFFORD, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

DRESS-FORM.

Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

Application filed February 19, 1915. Serial No. 9,225.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. Urronn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Sufi'olk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Dress-Forms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to adjustable dress forms and the objects of the invention are to provide a dress form of this nature with novel means for adjusting the size of the form at the waist by which such adjustment can be effected from the exterior of the form and without the necessity of introducing the hand into the form to manipulate clamping screws or other holding devices; to provide a dress form having a novel collapsible adjustable skirt portion which can be collapsed or contracted so as to permit the form to occupy a small space for storage or shipment, and to improve dress forms of this nature, all as will be more fully hereinafter described and then pointed out in the appended claims.

In order to give an understanding of my invention I have illustrated in the drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described, but I wish to state that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment illustrated.

Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view through the dress form embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of one of the strut members of the waist-adjusting device;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line wm, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the manner in which the skirt portion is connected to the body portion;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line yy, Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a front view of a dress form detached from the supporting pedestal and with the skirt collapsed showing the form in condition for storage or shipment;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of a portion of the waist-adjusting devlce;

Fig. 8' is a sectional view through the neck-clamping means showing the construction by which the waist of the form is lengthened;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section onthe line 0na, Fig.1;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged section on the line b?), Fig. 6;

. Fig. 11 shows another form of strut than that shown in Fig. 2.

The dress form herein shown is of that familiar typeembodying a body portion and a skirt portion, the body portion presenting a shell-like formation and divided vertically and horizontally to present a plurality of sections capable of adjustment relative to each other to change the size and proportions of the form. The body portion indicated generally at 1 may be divided into any desired number of sections, the particular manner of dividing the form and the number of sections forming no part of the present invention. The skirt portion is indicated generally at 21.

In the construction herein illustrated the form is divided in a familiar manner to present the hip sections 2, the waist sections 3, the shoulder and neck sections 5 and 6, and on the front the bust sections 4. The sections at the upper part of the form are adjustably connected together by any suitable means, the means herein illustrated being slotted connecting members 7 which are rigidly secured to certain of the sections and are adjustably secured to other sections by means of clamping screws 8. The hip sections 2 have positioning plates 9 secured to the lower end thereof, as usual in dress forms of this nature, and these plates are adjustably secured bv means of clamping bolts 11 to the slotted arms of a cross-shaped member 10 that is secured to the usual central supporting element that extends vertically through the form and is adjustably sustained in a standard 130 rising from a pedestal or base 140 as usual in dress forms of this nature. The parts as thus far described may have any suitable contruction as they form no part of the present invention.

One feature of the present invention relates to the manner in which the waist of the form can 'be adjusted as to itssize. For accomplishing this I have provided an improved waist-adjusting device of that type wherein the waist sections have strut members pivoted thereto which are in turn connected to a vertically-movable member, so that movement of the member will act through the strut members to expand or contract the waist. These strut members are designated generally by l3,and'I propose to employ one for each of the hip sections 2. The strut members are pivotally connected at their outer ends to the sections of the body at or near the waist line, and by preference they will be pivotally connectedtothe form at substantially the junction line between the waist sections '3 and the hip sections 2. In the illustrated embodiment of my invention each hip section is fastened to the corresponding waist section .bymeans of a'hinge device comprising the two ,pivotally connected hinge members 14 and 15, the hinge members 14 being connected to the waist sections 3, and the hinge members 15 being connected to the hip sections 2. I propose to use portions of the struts 13 as the pivotal connection between the members 14 and 15 thereby simplifying the construction. Each of the struts I3 is provided with a pintle (portion 16 to which the hinge members 14 and 15 are pivoted, this construction providing ;not (only a pivotal connection between ieach waist section and the :adjacent hip section, butalso providing a pivotal con nection between the strut 13 and the hinge connection. The upper ends of the struts 13 are pivotally connected to a collar 17 which is mounted .ona waist-adjusting member 18 that is movable vertically within the form. This waist-adjusting member 18 is herein shown as in the form of a rod, the upper end :19 of which extends ifLbOVG the neck of the form .so that ,it is readily acces 'sible. This rod 18 extends down through a guiding member-20 secured to the member 10, :as shown in Fig. 7., and will preferably extend down through the skirt portion 210i the form, the low'erqend ofithemem'ber 18 being provided with a stirrup 101" other portion 22 which can be engaged by a persons foot. It will be seen from the above construction that a downward movement-otthe waist-adjusting rod 18 will act through the struts 13 ito-exptandthe form at the waist,-while an upward movement will result in contracting the form at the waist. It will be noted that vthe adjusting member 18 is separate from the central supporting member 12. This permits the adjusting member to be placed centrally of the form at the waistso that :all the struts 13 may be made of substantially the same length. The advantage of this is that a vertical movement of the adjusting member will give each of the waist sections the same enpansive movement which would not be the case if the struts varied in length. I haveherein illustrated return spring 23 confined within the tubular guide 20 and acting at one end against a collar 24 on the waistsadjusting member 18, and .at the other end on a bushing 194 secured to the lower end of the member 20, said spring thus tending to lift the adjusting (member thereby assisting to contract the waist.

The adjusting member 18 is shown as extending through a collar or bushing 25 at the neck of the form, and it is held in its adjusted position either by means of a setscrew 26' carried by said bushing or by a setscrew 95 carried by the extension 94 at the lower end of the member 20. With this construction the operation of changing the size adjusted to suit the requirements of use. The

bushing 194 is madeeadjustableand is held in .its adjusted position by a clamping screw 86 operating in a slot 85 in the member 20 and which clamps the bushing to the .member 20. I will preferably make the struts 13 ad justab'le as .to their length to permit of local adjustment at the waist. In Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown a strut member made from two sections of wire adjustably connected together, one pieceof wire being bent to present the two parallel arms 260 connected by the loop portion 16, and the other .piece of wire 27 being received between the arms 260 and carrying a clampingscrew 28 by which the twosections are clamped together. This clamping screw carries a U- shaped clamping plate 29 which embraces the two arms 260 and is clamped thereagainst by the screw 28. The ends of the arms 260 .are bent late-rally, ;as shown :at 30, to form guides that co act with the member 27 to hold the two sections in alinement. With this construction it is possible to elongate or shorten each individual strut member to provide for any local deformity or adjustment at the Waist.

In Fig. 11 I have illustrated .a strut having a slightly difi'erent construction from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and wherein the upper end 270 of the strut is made from a piece of sheet metal having a U-shape in cross section and which embraces the sides 260 of the lower section, said two sections being adjustably clamped vtogether by the clamping screw 28.

The waist of the form is lengthened by raising the neck and shoulder and bust sections relative to the waist and hip sections, .and I have herein provided for this by means accessible above the neck of the form.

, The central-supporting member 12 is provided with an extension 31 capable of vertical adjustment relative thereto, and to which the neck and shoulder sections of the term are secured, so that the raising or lowering of said extension will lengthen .,or

shorten the waist. This extension 31 is shown as screw-threaded into a nut 3 1 secured to the upper end of the support 12, as seen in Fig. 8, the support 12 being tubular to permit the extension to telescope into it. The extension is provided with a hand-wheel 35 by which it may be turned to raise or lower it. The means herein shown for securing the neck sections to the extension 31 comprises a clamping sleeve 32 which is loosely mounted on the extension 31 to permit the latter to turn therein, but is held from movement longitudinally of said extension-by a collar 300 fast thereon. This clamping sleeve is provided with a fixed clamping member 91 and a movable clamping member in the form of a clamping nut 33 which is screw-threaded to the sleeve 32, and the neck sections 6 are provided with the usual neck plates 89 that are clamped between the two clamping members. With this construction the raising and lowering of the extension 31 will cause a corresponding movement of the neck and shoulder sections and a consequent lengthening or shortening of the waist, and all this can be accomplished merely by turning the hand wheel 35 one way or the other.

The skirt portion 21 of the form is made collapsible so that it can be folded or closed into a small compass. It is formed by a plurality of hoop-like members 36 that can be expanded or contracted circumferentially and that are flexibly connected so that they can be folded against each other or separated from each other according as the skirt is to be collapsed or extended. The means for flexibly connecting these hooplike members is herein shown in the form of a plurality of lazy-tongs suspenders 37 comprising a series of pivotally-connected links, these lazy-tongs suspenders being pivotally connected to the hoop members 36, as shown at 38. The upper end of each of the lazytongs suspenders is pivotally connected to two adjacent hip sections by means of two connecting links 39, these links permitting the hip sections to be adjusted relative to each other, as shown by dotted lines Fig. 4. without changing the relative position of the links and thereby, affecting the length of the lazy-tongs suspenders. The pivotal connection 38 between each of the lazy-tongs suspenders 37 and each of the hoop members 36 is in the form of a clamping bolt provided witha wing nut 10 so that when the skirt is extended it can be clamped in any desired position by tightening the nuts 40. With this construction it will be seen that when the clamping nuts 40 are loosened the skirt can be folded up against the body portion, as seen in Fig. 6.

The hoop members 36 may be made capable of expansion or contraction circumferentially in various ways without departing from the invention. As herein shown each hoop member is made up of a plurality of sections 11 that have telescopic engagement with each other, each section 41 carrying at each end a loop 12 through which one of the adjacent sections passes. This construction provides for expanding or contracting the hoops 36 to any desired size. The bottom of the skirt portion is provided with a structure to brace and stifi'en it somewhat, which is best seen in Figs, 1 and 5. Situated within the lower hoop 36 is an annular band 413 to which is connected a plurality of adjustable braces 44, each brace being connected to the lower hoop member 36. Each of these braces 44 comprises two overlapping sections that are adjustable relative to each other and held in adjusted position by clamping screws 45, and said braces are arranged in pairs, the braces of each pair extending parallel to each other. This provides an adjustable strengthening structure for the lower portion of the skirt which can be adjusted to any desired size and which will hold saidlower portion of the skirt firmly in its adjusted position.

When the dress form is to be stored or shipped, it will be removed from the pedestal 140 and the skirt folded, as shown in Fig. 6. The central supporting member is made in sections 12 and 50 so that the lower end thereof can be removed when the form is taken from the pedestal and the skirt folded. The lower section of the supporting member is shown at 50 and is in the form of a rod which telescopes into the standard 130, it being held in adjusted posi tion by means of a clamping screw 51. The upper end of this lower section 50 telescopes into the member 12 which is hollow, and said member 50 has rigid therewith a collar 52 on which the member 12 rests and which prevents the section 50 from moving upwardly into the member 12. r This collar 52 is provided with an extension 53 which sets into a notch formed in the lower end of the member 12, thus preventing the member 12 from turning relative to the section 50.

The form body may be provided with means to span the spaces between the various sections when they are separated from each other and thereby provide a support for the garment being fitted to or supported by the form. The means herein shown for this purpose comprises supporting or filling strips 73 secured to certain of the form sections and overlying other adjacent sections, said strips being slidably received in guide members 72 secured to said other sections. These strips span the joints between the sections and serve as a support for the garment when the form is opened out or expanded. These supporting strips may be used at any part of the form.

each other, a vertically-movable waist-adjusting rod separate from the central-supporting member and extending parallel thereto,

and struts connecting said waist-adjusting rod to the form sections at or near the waist.

2. In a dress form, the'combination with a central supporting member, of a garment form sustained thereby and presenting a plurality of sections adjustable relative to each other, a vertically-movable waist-adjusting member separate from the supporting member, and struts connecting said waistadjusting member to the form sections at or near the waist, said waist-adjusting member being operable to adjust the waist from either above or below the form.

3. In a dress form, the combination with a central supporting member, of a garment form sustained thereby and presenting a body portion having a plurality of sectlons adjustable relative to each other and a skirt portion, a waist-adjusting rod separate from the supporting member, and struts piv0t,

ally connecting said rod to the form sections at or near the waist, said rod extending both above the neck and to the bottom of the skirt whereby it may be operated from either above or below the form.

4. In a dress form, the combination with a central supporting member, of a garment form sustained thereby and presenting a plurality of sections adjustable relative to each other, a vertically-slidable waist-adjusting rod extending parallel to but structurally independent of the supporting member and situated approximately centrally of the form at the waist portion, and struts pivotally connected to said rod and to said form whereby vertical movement of the rod will effect a change in the size of the waist.

5. In a dress form, the combination with a body portion divided to present a plurality of hip sections and a corresponding number of waist sections, of a vertically movable waist-adjusting member within the form, a pair of hinge members for each hip and waist section, one member of each pair being secured to the hip section and the other member to the waist section, strut members pivotally connected at one end to the waist-adjusting member and at the other end to the hinge member.

6. In a dress form, thecombination with a body portion divided to present a plurality of hip sections and a corresponding number of waist sections, of a central supporting member, a vertically-movable waistadjusting member separate from the supporting member, a pair of hinge members for each hip and waist section, one member of each pair being secured to the hip section and the other member to the waist sec tion, and strut members pivotally connecting the hinge members of each pair and pivotally connected to the waist-adjusting member.

7. In a .dress torm, the combination with a body portion made of sections adjustable relative to each other, of a skirt portion comprising a plurality of hoop members and lazy-tongs sections connecting the hoop sections together, and links pivotally connecting each lazy-tongs section to two body sections whereby the body sections can be adjusted relative to each other without afl'ecting the lazy-tongs sections.

- 8. In a dress form, thecombination with a central supporting member, of a garment form, means at the neck portion of the form and at the hip portion thereof for forming connections between said central supporting member and said form, .a waist-adjusting rod structurally independent from the supporting member and mounted for vertical movement in said connections, and means connecting said waist-adjusting rod and form sections at or near the waist whereby vertical movement of said waist-adjusting rod will effect adjustment of the size of the waist.

9. In a dress form, the combination with a central supporting standard, of a garment form sustained thereby and presenting a plurality of sections adjustable relative to each other, a vertically-slidable waist-adjusting rod extending parallel to the supporting member at one'side thereof and situated approximately centrally of the form at the waist portion thereof, and connections between said waist-adjusting rod and the form sections at or near the waist whereby vertical movement of the rod will effect adjustment of the size of the waist.

10. In a dress form, the combination with a centra1 supporting member, of a garment form sustained thereby and presenting a plurality of sections adjustable relative to each other, a vertically-movable waist-adjusting member separate from the supporting member, struts connecting said waistadjusting member to the form sections at or near the waist, a spring acting on said waist-adjusting member and tending to move it in a direction to contract the waist, and means to hold said waist-adjusting member in its adjusted position.

11. In a dress form, the combination with a central supporting member, of a garment form sustained thereby and presenting a plurality of sections adjustable relative to each other, a vertically-movable waist-adjusting member separate from the supporting member, struts connecting said waist adjusting member to the form sections at or near the waist, a spring acting on said waist-adjusting member and tending to move it in a direction to contract the waist, means to hold said waist-adjusting member in its adjusted position, and means to adjust the tension of the spring.

12. In a dress form, the combination with a central supporting member, of a garment form sustained thereby and presenting a plurality of sections adjustable relative to each other, a vertically-movable waistadjusting rod structurally independent from and parallel to the supporting member and extensible struts connecting said waist-adjusting rod to the form sections at or near the waist.

13. In a dress form, the combination with a body portion divided to present a plurality of hip sections and waist sections, of a hingedevice connecting each hip section to a waist section and comprising three members pivotally connected together at a common point, one member being secured to the hip section and one member to the waist section, a central supporting member on which said form is sustained, a vertically-movable waist-adjusting member within the form to which the third section of each device is secured, said waist-adjusting member being structurally independent from the central supporting member and situated at one side thereof.

14. In a dress form, the combination with a body portion divided to present a plurality of sections adjustable relative to each other, of filling strips secured to certain sections and overlapping adjacent sections, and guide members secured to said adjacent sections and within which the strips are slidably received.

15. A dress formdivided to present hip sections and waist sections, a central supporting standard, a rod separate from said standard extending vertically through the form, and a three-Way hinge device connected to each hip and its corresponding waist section and to said rod.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES A. UFFORD.

itnesses:

ELIZABETH G. MORRIS, THOMAS J. DRUMMOND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or ratentm, Washington, D. G. 

